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Hama Rikyu Garden

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mitchww@me.com
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A Quiet Place for Tea

  • September 16, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by barbara from Atlanta, Georgia
A Quiet Place for Tea

A short walk from Tsukiji Fish Market is the Hama Rikyu Garden. After almost being run over by the speeding carts in the market, getting jostled while going down aisles full of people, being overwhelmed by frenetic energy, I wanted a moment to renew my feeling of Zen.

Entry into Hama Rikyu is around $3, but I was happy to find green space in the city. Upon entry, I was given an information sheet in English that explained the garden used to be a Shogun's hunting grounds. Apparently it was stocked with ducks. I also read in my guidebook that the garden is good to see from the water, and I discovered you can catch a water taxi from here if you so desire.

Wandering on paths by flowers, I came across a place to have a traditional tea. This was the highlight of the park for me. Following a pair of Japanese ladies, I copied them at the front of the tea house by taking off my shoes and putting them on a shelf. I was escorted into the room where I tucked my legs beneath me and ordered tea. The kind attendant handed me an instruction sheet in English so I would know the appropriate way to take my tea. Served in a lacquer dish with a small flower like candy to one side, my tea was green. Reading my instruction sheet, I carefully followed proper procedure, occasionally stealing glances in the direction of the Japanese ladies just to make certain I understood.

Now, I gotta tell ya. I didn't find either the lotus flower candy/cookie nor the tea all that tasty, but I finished all on my trey anyway because I understand politeness is at a major premium in Japan. Plus it was an experience.

Afterwards, I continued my walk by the pretty lake, the skyscrapers of Tokyo looming over the park, before plunging back into the city.

From journal Terrific Tokyo

Editor Pick

Hama Rikyu Garden

Hama Rikyu Garden

After an eventful morning at the Tsukiji Fish Market, we scouted out places to visit within walking distance. The Hama Rikyu Gardens nearby was the dock where we could catch a ferry to Asakusa. We had some time to kill before the ferry departed so we decided to explore the gardens as an afterthought. For ¥300 per person, we purchased tickets and entered the complex.

I am ever glad we did. The Hama Rikyu Gardens serves as a respite from the crowds, the noise and the frenetic pace of Tokyo life. It might have been because we visited at around 9am in the middle of the week but the gardens had very few visitors that morning, a benefit to us. While we did not find a traditional old Japanese neighborhood, the gardens preserved a piece of Japanese culture, representing a slower time where pristine gardens and revered traditions such as the tea ceremony took precedence.

We strolled the gardens and first found a shallow duck pond which turned out to be the hunting grounds of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Sadly, many a duck found its fate here and in attempt for atonement, the guilty hunters erected a stone memorial for their quarry.

As we wandered the gardens, we noticed that above the treetops peered Tokyo skyscrapers. Cranes towered overhead as they built even more looming edifices. “Don’t look up,” I thought. The stark contrast between modernity and tranquility was too much for me to process.

We found the Nakashima tea house which seemed to float on a saltwater pond. After we crossed an arched bridge, we plodded along wooden walkways until we reached the tea house. For approximately US$5, one could have traditional Japanese tea in this serene setting.

After tea, we continued to explore the seemingly never-ending gardens. As we stumbled upon a vegetable garden, I realized that my leg sported the biggest mosquito bite I had received in years. Note to visitors, spray yourself with some form of mosquito repellent or suffer my fate. My vacation, up to that point, had been unencumbered from bug bites. After this point, I walked with a lurch because every few feet, I leaned over to scratch. Another note, the best bug bite cream in the world is Anthisan. Not found in the US, get someone to travel to Hong Kong for you as it only costs HK$20, or US$1.60. Of course, you can always order online.

Before long, the ferry arrived and we had to leave. “We need to come back here and explore some more,” my husband commented as we boarded the boat, proving that some of the best vacation memories happen as a result of having to kill time.

From journal So, What Else is in Tokyo Besides Disneyland?

Editor Pick

Hama Rikyu Garden

  • May 20, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Seaotter71 from Monterey, California
Hama Rikyu Garden

The Hama Rikyu Gardens are right smack in the middle of the beaten path. However, we went at opening after visiting the nearby Tsukiji Fish Market and had the place mostly to ourselves.

In the 17th century, the gardens originally served as a retreat and duck-hunting grounds for the Tokugawa shoguns. In fact, one of the neat little treasures is the shrine(?) to all of the ducks that have been killed there. The park now hosts numerous ducks, herons, and migratory birds in a refuge.

The grounds were passed to the imperial family in 1871 and were remodeled as a park. The park is a landscaped garden in the go-round style around the Shioiri Pond, a pond of the tidal reach (from Tokyo Bay). On this pond sits the Nakashima tea house were we stopped for tea from powdered tealeaves and Japanese sweets in a tea ceremony. It felt a little touristy and overpriced to me, but it was a nice little distraction. If you have knee problems this might be a little hard as you are encouraged to sit in seiza, or correct sitting position. To do this you must first kneel on the knees, and then sit back with the buttocks resting on the heels, the back straight and the hands folded in the lap. The tops of the feet lie flat on the floor.

The park itself is very beautiful and serene. Mostly flat, some areas are wide open with a few trees and shrubs, others offer more dense vegetation. This vegetation will help conceal at times the tall buildings that surround the park.

Plan for an hour or two to take it in at the relaxed pace it deserves. From there, you can take the hourly ferry (still on park grounds) to Asakusa and old Edo by way of the Sumidagawa River.

The park is open daily between 9am and 5pm. The entrance fee was ¥300 in 2003.

From journal Tokyo and Tokyo Disneyland Resort Highlight

Editor Pick

Hama-rikyu Gardens

  • December 16, 2001
  • Rated 4 of 5 by becks from Mexico City, Mexico
Hama-rikyu Gardens

This is probably the best gardens in central Tokyo and it is well worth spending an hour or two here. It is located next to the Tsukiji Fish Market and within walking distance from Shinbashi Station (Ginza subway line and JR Yamanote line). Entrance is yen 300 and you will receive an English map with some description of the sights.

The garden was the official hunting ground for the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 17th century and the upper classes hunted ducks here until the Second World War. There are some description and photographs of how this was done with nets rather than other kinds of lethal weapons. There is also a salt-water pond with three islands linked by wooden bridges. Green tea is served in a rest house on one of the islands. The pond is swarmed with ducks and other birds if you visit late afternoon.

The park offers fantastic views of Rainbow Bridge as well as interesting vistas of very modern high-rise buildings in the background. Many new buildings in the vicinity are currently under construction.

Vending machines are available at the kiosks and picnicking is allowed in several areas. All paths are gravel, which is not convenient for strollers.

The park can also be reach by waterbus from the Sumida River Line from Asakusa.

A bonus if you drive in Tokyo is a rare free parking area - although the 40 odd spaces tend to fill up fast.

From journal Parks and Gardens in Central Tokyo

Hamarikyu-Teien Garden

  • September 10, 2000
  • Rated 3 of 5 by mitchww@me.com from Chicago, Illinois
Beautiful garden and park in the ancient Japanese style. A surprising oasis in the midst of central Tokyo's clamor. Provides decent views of the bay. Bonsai trees and teahouses (visited by President Ulysses S. Grant). Ponds are fed by the nearby river and bay via a complex system of dams and channels. This garden is the starting point for the Sumidagawa River Cruise.

From journal Tokyo river trip and secret garden

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